coexistence in the northern rockies

High Divide Landscape. Photo credit: Abby Sage

Coexistence in the Northern Rockies

Overview:The High Divide, a region spanning Idaho and Montana, is home to some of the most iconic ecosystems and wildlife species in North America, including the gray wolf, elk, wolverine, cougar, and grizzly bear. However, the High Divide is undergoing rapid land use changes and the effects of these changes on human-wildlife interactions have received little attention and are still not fully understood. In collaboration with various partners, the Conservation & Coexistence group is beginning work in the region that utilizes social surveys, companion and ecological modeling, remote sensing, and scenario testing to understand the factors limiting or facilitating coexistence between humans and wildlife. Current research activities include examination of human attitudes toward grizzly bears, mapping of the social-ecological suitability of grizzly habitat, and investigating human behavioral and policy responses to grizzly bear population growth and expansion. In the future, we hope to expand the scope of research to include other large terrestrial carnivores, such as the cougar.